After calm lasted for less than 2 hours in the wake of killing and injuring hundreds of people in it…Douma city witnesses a resumption of the aerial and ground shelling by the regime forces and warplanes

08/04/2018

5 minutes read

Rif Dimashq Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the regime forces and warplanes resumed their targeting to Douma city after calm lasted for less than 2 hours, where Douma city witnessed renewed shelling on places in it, leaving more destruction and material damage to the property of the citizens, without information about casualties so far, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published this morning that Douma area is witnessing calm prevailing it for about 2 hours, where the SOHR monitored that the aerial and artillery shelling on the area has stopped since 8 am, Sunday the 8th of April 2018.

This calm comes in an attempt to reach a new solution about Douma area which is considered the last area beyond the regime forces’ control in the Eastern Ghouta, where negotiations are underway between the Russians and Jaysh Al-Islam to reach a new agreement, also this calming comes after a series of targeting operations to the area, at sporadic pace during the last night, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored since yesterday after the midnight and until this morning, bombardment on areas in the city, accompanied by ground shelling by the regime forces by several missiles believed to be ground-to-ground, fired by the regime force on areas in the city, in conjunction with the fall of tens of artillery and rocket shells on areas in it, which resulted in the fall of a number of wounded, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published last night, that the number of persons who were killed continues to rise in the Eastern Ghouta, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the rise of number of persons who were killed today, Friday, to 42 casualties at least including 14 children and 7 women, among them there are 11 casualties including 4 children were killed as a result of suffocation, which in turn rise to 82 at least including 22 children and 13 woman, the number of persons who were killed since Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation, where reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that some of the casualties and wounded suffocated as a result of the demolition of home basements due to the heavy and intense shelling on Douma city.

The trusted sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory of Rights that the number of injuries today has exceeds 500, including tens of children and tens of women, where more than 70 of them have suffered suffocation as a result of the demolition of home basements over them due to the heavy and intense shelling on the last area beyond the regime forces’ control in the Eastern Ghouta, which is the stronghold of Jaysh al-Islam, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago that 11 people at least including 5 children had suffocated, after bombardment by a warplane on an area near the old cemetery at the northern outskirts of Douma city in the Eastern Ghouta, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that violent clashes taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against Jaish Al-Islam in areas in the vicinity of Douma area, where the regime forces continue their attempts to achieve more advancement in the area after they managed today morning to advance in the farms of Douma from the direction of Al-Raihan area. The regime forces managed to advance in 50 farms in the area following series of ongoing ground and aerial shelling of the regime forces and their warplanes and helicopters, which target the city and its vicinity.

And the SOHR published on Friday, that it obtained a copy of a paper containing the Russian response to the submissions made by Jaysh Islam, the Russian reply emphasized on that Jaysh al-Islam must hand over its weapons, the thing which was noted by the Syrian Observatory today morning, Friday. The Russian response came through the General in charge of negotiating with Jaysh al-Islam reads:

“1- You hand over heavy weapons, the government moving backwards, you make sure that the government is pulling heavy weapons, and we ensure that warplanes will not be used.

2- The heavy weapon is delivered for three days.

3- You hand over light weapons, and at the same time the government withdraws the forces for one week.

4- Who hands over his weapon, his situation will be settled, and whose situation is settled applies for enlistment in the police which will be formed and Russia is the guarantor.

5- After the settling the situations (for two weeks), a police battalion of fighters of Jaysh al-Islam will be formed.

6- The battalion receives Russian weapons and proceeds to fight ISIS and Nusra.

7- The Russian military police will stand tomorrow on the checkpoints and free movement in the city.

8- After disarmament, a committee of Rif Dimashq Province comes to solve all the problems of the city.”

And in the same context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained a copy of the proposals offered by Jaysh Al-Islam yesterday which the Russian side refused, reads:

“1- Completing the transfer of the fighters and activists with their families to the Syrian North, and we expect that will be finished soon.

2- Holding an extensive and permanent ceasefire between all parties including all kinds of military attacks by all types of weapons including aerial bombing.

3- Forming a joint committee of the Russian military police and Jaysh Al-Islam whose task is to disarm the heavy weapons and establish the places where they will be exist and those who will be in charge of them, on condition that the weapons remain in their places and this committee will start on the 7th of April 2018.

4- The Russian military police will establish observation points at the entrances of the crossings and some points in the fronts between the regime forces and Jaysh Al-Islam, to ensure that the ceasefire will not be breached and these points will start on the 7th of April 2018.

5- Forming a joint committee of Jaysh Al-Islam and the Russian military police whose task is to disarm the light and medium weapons, and the final handing over of weapons is connected to the comprehensive political solution in Syria, and the work of this committee will start on the 17th of April 2018.

6- Entering committees of non-governmental civil institutions to organize civil works and to approve the civil operations carried out during the previous period in accordance with the laws of the state, and these committees will be entered on the 7th of April 2018.

7- Forming a civil police of the members of the existing civil police after a list of their names is brought to the Ministry of the Interior in Damascus, their number reaches 1000 members and will be affiliated to the Ministry of Interior in the terms of salaries, laws and services.

8- Approving the courts of Douma and to be subordinate to the Ministry of Justice.

9- Agreeing to international guarantees, to prevent the entry of regime forces and security into the city.

10- Ensuring the right of Jaysh Al-Islam to engage in the political opposition action, and the independence of its political movement inside and outside Syria.

11- The crossing will be freely and securely opened for persons and goods, when the Russian military police station opens at the crossing.

12- Ensuring the return of people want to come back of those who have been displaced to the Syrian north.”